“My Journey in Photography” is Focus of Lecture by National Geographic Photographer Sam Abell

The lecture is held in conjunction with the opening day of “National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West” on Saturday, September 28

EUGENE, Ore. -- (September 11, 2013) – National Geographic photographer Sam Abell returns to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum Art on the University of Oregon campus on Saturday, September 28, at 2 p.m. for a lecture titled “My Journey in Photography,” sponsored by Canon USA's Explorer of Light program. Abell’s photography is included in the new exhibition “National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West,” which opens to the public that same day.

Sam Abell has worked with the National Geographic Society since 1970 and has photographed more than twenty articles on various cultural and wilderness subjects. Abell's book credits include “Australia: Journey Through a Timeless Land” and “Seeing Gardens.” In 1998, he collaborated with author Stephen Ambrose on “Lewis & Clark: Voyage of Discovery” and again in 2002 on “The Mississippi: River of History.” That same year, he worked with author Leah Bendavid-Val to produce a retrospective of his life and work titled “Sam Abell: The Photographic Life.”

Abell and Torbin Ulrik Nissen premiered their exhibition and accompanying book “Amazonia” at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in 2010. Abell lectures on photography, teaches workshops, and exhibits his images throughout the world; he is currently working on the multi-volume Sam Abell Library (Radius Books, Santa Fe).

“Sam Abell is the photographer’s photographer,” says JSMA executive director Jill Hartz. “He combines a fine art aesthetic with a deep, practiced, and intuitive understanding of how to take photographs that translates into unforgettable images. He is also a captivating storyteller, and I encourage anyone who is interested in photography and the American West not to miss this very special talk.”

Abell will also attend the free public reception for “National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West,” on Friday, September 27, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Drawn from the significant holdings of the National Geographic Archive, “National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West” offers a broad understanding of a region that has long captivated photographers. The exhibition, on view through Sunday, December 31, includes photographs by Sam Abell, Ansel Adams, William Albert Allard, Edward Curtis, David Alan Harvey, William Henry Jackson, Sarah Leen, and Joel Sartore, among many others.

Organized into four sections, the exhibition focuses on a different aspect of the American West and its importance to our national identity. “Legends” portrays some of the cowboys, Native Americans, and landscapes that define the vast area. “Encounters” showcases the interactions among the people of the West, visitors, and wildlife. “Boundaries” features places where endless skies, boundless plains, and dramatic mountains meet natural and manmade limits. “Visions” explores the growth of the American West and where its story may go in the future.

“The American West” was organized with the National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States and Museums West; Presented by the Mays Family Foundation; Traveled by National Geographic. This exhibition is made possible at the JSMA by the Coeta and Donald Barker Special Exhibitions Endowment, The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, and JSMA members.

About the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

The University of Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is a premier Pacific Northwest museum for exhibitions and collections of historic and contemporary art based in a major university setting. The mission of the museum is to enhance the University of Oregon’s academic mission and to further the appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts for the general public. The JSMA features significant collections galleries devoted to art from China, Japan, Korea, America, Europe and elsewhere as well as changing special exhibition galleries. The JSMA is one of six museums in the state of Oregon—and the only university museum--accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is located on the University of Oregon campus at 1430 Johnson Lane. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Sundays. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens. Free admission is given to ages 18 and under, JSMA members, college students with ID, and University of Oregon faculty, staff and students. For information, contact the JSMA, 541-346-3027.

About the University of Oregon

The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.